Safety valve for oil burners and the like



1 1,623,161 1927' c. B. BuERGER SAFETY VALVE FOR OIL BURNERS AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 27, 1926 2. Sheets-$heet 1 1,62 ,161 Aprll 5, 1927. C. B. GE 3 SAFETY VALVE FOR OIL BURNERS AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 27, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fill Hlllliihilr 9 I Patented Apr. 5 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES B. BUERGER, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNGR TO GULF OIL BURNER COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENN- sYnvAnm.

SAFETY VALVE FOR OIL BURNERS AND THE LIKE.

Application filed December 27, 1926. Serial No. 157,329.

This invention relates to safety valves for oil burners and thelike; and it comprises a fuel feed valve provided with means such as a weighted lever or the like for normally closing it, an overbalanced support for a receptacle adapted to collect overflow oil from the burner, the support being pivotally mounted at one side of its center of gravity, a second weighted lever contacting with the overflow receptacle to maintain said receptacle and support in horizontal balanced position, and a trigger movable with said support for normally holding the valve open by cooperation with its controlling means, the said trigger being displaceable when the support is overbalanced by the filling of the overflow receptacle carried thereby to permit the fuel feed valve to close, the said second weighted lever being adapted to swing downwardly upon removal of the overflow receptacle to thereby permit continued tilting of the support, and to prevent re-setting of the fuel valve until the emptied receptacle has been replaced therein.

The invention is particularly useful in combina'tionwith valves which control the feed of oil to burners. Among other. objects of my invention is the provision of a simple and efiicient mechanism of the character described, and the provisionsof a safety means whereby, after the valve has been ,closed by the weight of an accumulation of oil in the overflow receptacle and the latter has been removed for emptying from its support, the valve cannot again be held open by the de vice until the receptacle has been replaced. In this way I insure again-st setting of the mechanism unless it is arranged so that the overflow of the oil will result in automatic closing of the valve.

, Other and further objects will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the drawings in which Figure 1 is a sectional side view, taken along the line 1-1 of Figure 2, of the as- A sembled safety device in normal position to permit flow of fuel to the burner, the dotted line position showing the structure after the overflow receptacle has been'filled and the valve closed.

Figure 2 is an end view, partly in section, of the safety device as seen from'the left of Figure 1. 1

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the-device comprising my invention, the top of the casing being removed. I

Figure 4 is a detail perspective of the fuel jffeed valve and controlling mechanism there- Referring more particularly to the draw- A casing l, for enclosing the safety device, s provided with a hinged door 2 in one of its ends as shown'in Figure 1. A support 3 for the fuel feed valve 4 and actuating mechanism is rigidly mounted in the casing by attachment to its sides as at 5 and 6. The support 3 is provided with downwardly extending projections 7 and 8 adapted :to

loosely support the ends of a pivot pin 9;

support for the overflow receptacle 10 is rigidly mounted on pin 9, and is preferably formed of a pair of inwardly facing angle iron members 11 and 12 suitably connectedand braced as at 13, Figure 2, and adapted to' support the overflow receptacle 10 by engagement with the outturned upper edge thereof as isalso shown in Figure 2. The members 11 and 12, comprising the support, are. fixedly mounted on the pin 9 at one side of their centers of gravity so that their weight is unevenly distributed with relation to the point of pivoting, and there will be a constant tendency for them to turn in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figures. 1 and 4 The receptacle 10, when mounted to receive overflow fuel, accentuates the overbalancing tendency since the axis of pin 9 is also offset from the line passing vertically through the center of gravity of the receptacle as is readily seen from an inspection of Figure 1 of the drawing. To maintain the equilibrium of the support and receptacle 10 when it is unfilled, a lever 14 is loosely mounted at one end on the pivot pin 9 and at its other end is provided with a 'weight 15, the intermediate portion of the lever being adapted to rest on the outturned lip of the receptacle 10. The weight 15 and lever 14 are suflicient to hold the support and overflow receptacle in balanced horizontal position during the normal operation of the burner. A

An upstanding trigger member 16 is rigidly mounted on pin 9 to move therewith, and is provided with a flat surface 17 for engaging andsupporting the downwardly extending portion 18 of the valve controlling lever 19. The valve controlling lever is attached at one end to any form of valve 4, preferably of the type shown in Figure 1, and carries at itsopposite end a weight 20. The weight 2O constantly tends to move lever 19 in a counter-clockwise direction, Figures 1 and 4, to thereby close the fuel feed valve, but in the normal operation of the burner it is held in upper position as shown in full lines in Figure 1 ,by contact of its extension 18 with the tri ger 16.

In the event that the flow 0 fuel to the burner is excessive, or if the flame of the door in casing 1 is then opened and the oven flow receptacle removed to be emptied. When the receptacle is removed the weight 15, which normally rests on the outturned edge thereof, falls to a position directly beneath the pivot pin 9 it being loosely pivoted on this pin. It therefore exerts no tendency to balance the support which continues to remain in a tilted position until the overflow receptacle has been emptied and replaced therein. fore be held out of the'wa'y of the valve controlling lever and its extension 18, and

accordingly this lever cannot be re-set to hold the fuel valve in open position until the trigger is again removed to supporting position by the replacement of the overflow receptacle.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have provided a safety device which is of simple construction, and which, being dependent in its operation on the action of weightsand levers alone, is not susceptible to rapid deterioration and wear. Furthermore, it is a device which automatically cuts off the flow of fuel to the burner when there is a dangerous accumulation of oil therein,

and which prevents the unintentional reopening of the fuel valve until the accumulation has been removed.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with an overbalanced support, of a receptacle carried thereby, a

fuel feed valve, means for controlling said valve and normally tending to close it, a weight normally tending to maintain said support and receptacle in balanced position,

and means for normally holding said valve in open position but adapted to be automatically withdrawn to permit closing of The trigger 16 will therethe valve when said receptacle is filled and to prevent re-setting thereof until said receptacle has been emptied and replaced on said support.

2. In combination with an overbalanced support, of a receptacle carried thereby, a fuel feed valve, means for controlling said valve and normally tending to close it, a weight tending to maintain said support and receptacle in balanced position but movable to an ineffective position when said receptacle is removed from the support, and means for normally holding said valve in open position but adapted to be withdrawn to permit closin of the valve when said receptacle is filled whereby re-setting of said valve is prevented until said receptacle has been emptied and replaced on said support.

3. The combination with a valve and lever constantly tending to close the same, of an overbalanced support, a receptacle carried by said support, a weighted lever adapted to contact with said receptacle and to maintain the support and receptacle in balanced position, of means movable with said support for sustaining said valve controlling lever under normal conditions but adapted to be withdrawn and to permit said valve to close when the receptacle is filled. whereby rcsetting of said valve controlling lever and valve is prevented untih said receptacle has been emptied and replaced in its support.

4. In an automatic valve mechanism the combination with a weighted lever tending to close the valve, of a support pivoted at a point offset from its center of gravity, a receptacle adapted to be carried by said support, and weighted means normally adapted to maintain said support and receptacle in balanced position, a trigger movable with said support and adapted to engage said lever to hold the valve open under normal conditions but permitting it to close when said receptacle has been filled, whereby resetting of the valve is prevented unless the receptacle is carried by its support, and until it has been emptied of the overflow collected.

5. In an automatic valve mechanism the combination with a weighted lever tending to close the valve, of asupport pivoted at a point offset from its center of gravity, a receptacle adapted to be carried by said support, and weighted means normally adapted to maintain said support and receptacle in balanced position but movable to an ineffective position when said receptacle is removed from the support, a trigger movable with said support and adapted to engage said lever to hold the valve open under normal conditions but permitting it to close when said rece tacle has been filled, whereby resetting of the valve is prevented unless the receptacle is carried by its support, and until it has been emptied of the overflow collected.

6. A safety device for fuel burners comprising a fuel feed valve and means normally tendin to close said valve; an overflow receptac e; a support for said receptacle pivoted to the side of the center of gravity thereof, a weighted lever normally adapted to maintain the receptacle and support in balanced position; a trigger movable with said support and adapted to sustain the valve controlling means in such a positionthat the valve is held open; an overflow pipe communicating with SaId'OVGIfiOW receptacle adapted to conve excess fuel thereto upon floodin of the burner, whereby the receptacle an support will be overbalanced upon filling of the receptacle and the said trigger withdrawn to permit the valve controlling means to close said valve, the said valve remaining in closed position'until reset by replacing of the receptacle and the balancing of the support therefor.

7. In combination with an overflow receptacle, a support therefor adapted to swing about a pivot ofiset'from its center of gravity, weighted means adapted to contact with said receptacle and to be held in position to normally balance the receptacle and support, but displaceable to ineffective position when said receptacle is removed from the supportwhereby said support will be overbalanced by its own weight; a fuel feed valve; means for controlling the opening and closing of said valve; and means movable with said sup ort for cooperating with the valve control ing means when the support is in balanced position to hold the valve open, but removable by overbalancing of sa1d support cle is removed whereby it will exert no balancing efiect; a trigger movable with said support. the said trigger being adapted; to sustain the valve controlling means in such a position that the valve will be held open in normal operation; an overflow pipe communicating with said overflow receptacle. and adapted to convey excess'fuel thereto,

whereby the receptacle and support will be overbalanced upon filling of the receptacle and the said trigger will be withdrawn to permit the valve controlling means to close the valve, and, the balancing weight being ineflectivewhen the receptacle is removed from the support, the'said support will be continually overbalanced and will remain in tilted position until the receptacle is replaced therein. 4

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto affixed my signature.

CHARLES B. BUERGER,

to permit said valve to close whereby said I valve will remain closed until the receptacle 

